"The Chief Minister and Minister for Home Affairs have emerged from this saga with no disciplinary case, no Chief Officer, a pending report from a QC likely to be critical of the Island’s Government, and a bill for over a million pounds. They are not well placed to criticise the actions of others" Deputy Bob Hill.............................................
Trevor Pitmans Blog.......................................BALDTRUTH"

Saturday, August 19, 2017

THE MOST INCREDIBLE PART OF THE STATEMENT FROM THIS PRESS RELEASE IS THIS:

"A quote taken from recent Hansard transcripts from Deputy Hilton suggests that I said during questions in 2008 that I had seen a copy of the Metropolitan Police Report when in fact I said “I had read an alarming report from the Metropolitan Police". I accept that this didn't adequately describe the report to which I was referring. I had read a report from the Deputy Police Chief (DCO) about the Metropolitan police report. I unfortunately could not name the report fully as this would have identified the DCO who was the whistle blower. At no time was there any intention to deceive members of the assembly. It should also be noted that this was a Q & A session. No vote of approval was being sought from members as the suspension had taken place nearly two weeks previously."

"I unfortunately could not name the report fully as this would have identified the DCO who was the whistle blower."

"DAVID WARCUP IS NOW A WHISTLE BLOWER"

"DID ANDREW LEWIS TELL THE CARE ENQUIRY THAT THE REASON FOR MISLEADING THE HOUSE WAS TO PROTECT THE WHISTLE BLOWER?"

"THIS IS GOING BEYOND MONTY PYTHON"

READ IT AND CRY (WITH LAUGHTER)

Statement Deputy Andrew Lewis18th August 2017

I note the publication of PPC’s report today and would like to make the following observations.

Firstly the PPC report does not contain any of the relevant points provided to them by Sir Philip Bailhache and myself at the PPC hearing (for the purpose of completeness I attach the statements given to PPC).

The Hansard extracts contained in the PPC’s report from various States sittings have been taken out of context. Consequently the report appears to infer that they are statements of fact. One statement in particular from Deputy Higgins suggests that I received advice from the Attorney General when in fact this advice was not shared with me but was given to the former Chief Minister Frank Walker and not passed on to me. Deputy Higgins in another statement states that I played a part in an ‘Unfair Dismissal’ of the former police Chief. When in fact the police Chief was never dismissed, he was suspended to allow for a full and fair investigation to take place. (This was in the form of the Wiltshire report a summary of the findings I have also attached).

A quote taken from recent Hansard transcripts from Deputy Hilton suggests that I said during questions in 2008 that I had seen a copy of the Metropolitan Police Report when in fact I said “I had read an alarming report from the Metropolitan Police". I accept that this didn't adequately describe the report to which I was referring. I had read a report from the Deputy Police Chief (DCO) about the Metropolitan police report. I unfortunately could not name the report fully as this would have identified the DCO who was the whistle blower. At no time was there any intention to deceive members of the assembly. It should also be noted that this was a Q & A session. No vote of approval was being sought from members as the suspension had taken place nearly two weeks previously.

Questions asked in the States Assembly in 2008 by the former Deputy Paul Le Claire are quoted in the PPC's report. However there is no mention of the fact that at this point, proceedings were interrupted by both the Bailiff and the Solicitor General. Therefore, even if I had recognised the significance of Deputy Le Claire’s chosen words there was not an immediate opportunity for me or anyone else to correct the Deputy’s use of language to describe the report to which he was referring.

I also note that on page one of PPC’s report there is a quote from the IJCC report reference 10.40 which is also taken out of context as there is no clarification confirming that in the same IJCC report they state that the panel found no evidence of any attempt to derail the police investigation by suspending the police chief.

As I have said before, if any members that were present on December 2nd 2008 and felt mislead by anything I said I most sincerely appologise. I have since endeavored to clarify the position for the record.

I will not be making any further comments on this matter until the next States Sitting in September.